About Youturn
The individuals, families and communities we support are at the heart of everything we do at Youturn. We listen deeply – honouring every voice, story, culture and choice – through our core values of Integrity, Respect and Inclusion. We have a strong commitment to reflection and responsibility and are always curious and adapting through our Learning value. At Youturn, we believe in the importance of caring today for a better tomorrow, represented in our value of Stewardship.
Youturn is a community-based not-for-profit charity providing social, community, and health services across Australia. With more than 35 years of experience, we are a trusted provider supporting individuals and communities through life's toughest moments, empowering people of all ages to live safe, connected, and meaningful lives. With compassion and equity at our core, we support people in the areas of housing, community and family support, mental health, and support for those bereaved or impacted by suicide.
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About Youturn
Youturn is a not-for-profit organisation established more than 30 years ago to address youth homelessness on the Sunshine Coast. Today it has evolved into a national organisation with a multidisciplinary team of professionals. Trusted to create safe, inclusive, and supportive communities, Youturn offers assistance to vulnerable people of all ages, during their most challenging times.
At Youturn, our overarching goal is to make a lasting impact in the lives of those we serve. Through our dedicated efforts and partnerships, we aspire to build a society where everyone has the opportunity to lead a fulfilling and dignified life.
Values Statement
Supporting young and vulnerable people in their time of need, is at the heart of what we do at Youturn. Our organisational culture is built on trusting relationships that are meaningful and inclusive. We listen to understand, we embrace diversity and we offer a safe space free from judgement.
To ensure our young and vulnerable people receive individualised support, we invest in team members who embody our values to foster a collaborative culture of excellence.
Position Summary
The Mental Health Clinician role is dedicated to effectively engaging and providing evidence-based psychological interventions and care coordination for clients, their families, and friends accessing or referred to the funded service. As the primary contact for young people entering the service, the clinician is pivotal in building positive rapport, conducting needs assessments, and implementing action plans to address identified needs and risks. The role involves active participation in clinical supervision, collaboration within a multidisciplinary team, and close engagement with local community partners for holistic and integrated care.
Key Responsibilities
Assessment and Intervention
* Provide evidence-based clinical and psychological interventions to address a spectrum of support needs in young individuals.
* Engage with young people in a manner that is relevant and appropriate to their developmental and cognitive levels, ensuring services are delivered in a youth-friendly manner.
* Conduct comprehensive bio-psycho-social assessments of young people accessing the service, including risk assessments throughout their care episode.
* Develop action plans to mitigate identified risks and provide follow-up support, intervention, and referrals as necessary.
* Promptly report high-risk cases to the Clinical Lead for appropriate action.
* Carry out assessments, case planning, and the delivery of therapeutic and/or psychoeducational interventions, along with care coordination for both young people and their families.
* Facilitate the development and co-facilitation of psychoeducational, psychosocial, and therapeutic group programs.
* Monitor young people for critical changes and initiate emergency procedures when necessary.
* Refer young people to internal and external services as appropriate, providing follow-up support.
* Facilitate and monitor the integration and coordination of care for young people, actively participating in care review meetings.
* Participate in outreach services (including travel), telehealth, and home visits for young people and their families.
* Contribute to the access and intake system, answering phone calls and inquiries, screening and assessing needs, prioritising, and making appropriate follow-up appointments and referrals.
* Maintain up-to-date clinical records and adhere to data collection standards.
* Ensure electronic medical records are maintained in line with agreed protocols.
* Foster effective communication and involvement of young people, their families, and friends in the delivery of services.
Community Engagement
* Contribute to community engagement efforts, representing the funded service and promoting the centre's services at community awareness events.
General Duties
* Promote the program, communicate regularly with and build and maintain collaborative working relationships with program partners and all relevant stakeholders in the program.
* Maintain an open-minded and flexible approach to the work whilst maintaining the best practice principles contained within the Code of Conduct, policies and procedures of Youturn.
* Contribute to a positive representation of Youturn through supportive and positive working relationships with staff, young people, their families/carers/kin, stakeholders and the wider community.
* Participate in service staff meetings and professional development with the relevant Line Manager and other staff as appropriate.
* Participate in appropriate education to develop and maintain necessary knowledge and skills required to fulfil the responsibilities of the position.
* As an employee, work in a healthy and safe manner and encourage others to do the same; comply with all warning and safety signage; report or rectify any unsafe conditions; adhere to workplace health and safety policies and procedures.
* Perform other reasonable duties as directed, that are within the employee's skill, competence, training and scope of the employee's award classification.
* From time to time, Youturn may require you to work in areas that are not your normal work areas and perform functions that are outside of your usual duties. Youturn may require you to do this so long as you have the skills and training to perform the functions that are outside of your normal work areas or usual duties.
Essential Experience, Qualifications & Other Requirements
Essential
* Qualifications in Psychology with General Registration with AHPRA, Mental Health Nursing, Mental Health Occupational Therapy or Mental Health Social Work. Special considerations may be given if the candidate is working towards accreditation, subject to PHN approval. Psychologists and Mental Health Nurses must hold general registration with AHPRA, Occupational Therapists must hold membership of OT Australia and be endorsed under their Better Access to Mental Health endorsement scheme, and Social Workers must be members of the AASW and be accredited as Accredited Mental Health Social Workers.
* Proven experience in undertaking comprehensive mental health/risk assessments.
* Demonstrated ability to engage with young people, their families, and significant others.
* Skills in delivering therapeutic psychological interventions and care coordination with young people and their families.
* Knowledge of lifespan development, particularly adolescent development.
* Knowledge and skills working with neurodivergent populations.
* Knowledge of systems theory and family-inclusive practice principles.
* Knowledge of psychological therapies appropriate for the treatment of severe/complex mental health concerns in young people, including CBT and other evidence-based approaches.
* Knowledge of the principles of early intervention, clinical staging, stepped care, team-based care, and supported transitions.
* Proven ability to build and maintain working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to maximise service coordination and capacity building with community agencies.
* Ability to work effectively in a team and follow established processes emphasising early intervention, engagement, responsiveness, and recovery of young people.
* Prior experience or demonstrated commitment to working respectfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally diverse clients, LGBTIQ+ communities, staff, and Aboriginal Controlled Organisations.
* Commitment to adhere to Mental health Act 2009 and Children and Young people Act 2017 legislation, Youturn policies, and procedures, with a focus on Equal Employment opportunities, WHS Work Health and Safety, Risk Management, and Quality Improvement practices.
* High levels of professionalism, ethics, confidentiality, and discretion.
* Positive and collaborative team worker.
* Adaptability and flexibility to changing work environments and requirements.
* Hold a current 'C' class Open Driver's License.
* Hold a current Working With Children Check (WWCC) issued by the relevant State or Territory. Example, Blue Card.
* Hold or be eligible to apply for, a Licensed Care Suitability Check issued by the Department of Child Safety, Youth Justice, and Multicultural Affairs.
Desirable
* Knowledge of local Youth/Health sectors.
* Understanding of trauma-informed practice.
* Knowledge and skills in eating disorder therapy.
* Knowledge of the Youth Enhanced Service Model – Orygen.
Selection Criteria
* Understanding of complex mental health, evidence-based interventions, and clinical practice with demonstrated excellence in youth mental health. Understanding of the impact of childhood adversity and understanding of trauma informed practice.
* Demonstrated ability to undertake initial screening activities, risk assessment and a comprehensive bio-psycho-social assessment to determine care needs and provide appropriate follow-up support.
* Experience delivering evidence based therapeutic and psychological interventions, counselling services, and treatment planning.
* Communication Skills: Highly developed communication skills (including written) and interpersonal skills. Ability to engage with young people, advocate on their behalf, and establish effective relationships with workers, young people, carers, and stakeholders.
* Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver group-based skills training activities to assist young people's psychosocial functioning (e.g., DBT life skills, anger management, problem-solving, ACT mindfulness group, etc.).
* Demonstrated ability to apply risk management strategies within a clinical context.